The Nerazzurri won 4-1 over 120 minutes at San Siro against Tottenham on Thursday, but Emmanuel Adebayor’s away goal was enough to ensure the Italian side’s elimination and the young coach confessed his concerns over how his players will handle this weekend’s game.

"This game against Sampdoria is our fifth in two very intense weeks," he told reporters at a press conference on Saturday. "That's what worries me the most because with the problems we've had we've been using basically the same group of players.

"We've got ourselves a few more hours now that the game's been put back to the evening but we had 120 long, intense minutes on Thursday.

"We've spent these two days trying to recover and get our energy back so that we're in good shape for tomorrow night. We'll give it everything we've got."

Stramaccioni also called for everybody associated with the club not to look at how other teams are doing and to focus on how the squad themselves are coping with the pressure that European football can bring.

He added: "At the moment, I think Inter need to focus on themselves and nothing else. On other occasions we've looked at other teams' results, last Sunday too... I think that whatever happens this Sunday no result is going to be decisive.

"We've already paid the price for our Europa League commitments and this time we used up twice as much energy. Let's start winning and then we'll see where we end up.

"Thursday's game has given us strength and a huge psychological boost. Often the head commands the legs more than you'd think."

The 37-year-old then defended his track record since taking over in March last year, and insisted that he has always given his all - regardless of whether or not he is fired.

"Personally I feel as if I come in for criticism constantly, since the day I arrived," Stramaccioni continued. "I might be the coach of Inter but given my age I'm a rupture in the system.

"All I can do is give 101 per cent in every game. When we had fewer problems, we showed we were capable of playing at a very high level.

"We've been through highs and lows and we're obviously not happy with the lows. In some of those games nothing came off for us whereas in others you could see that we were working. Working on the pitch is in my blood.

"I don't think my players have ever given up, they've always given everything they've got. Whether the president shows me the door this evening or keeps me in the dugout till 2015, I'll know that I've always given everything.

"We've rarely been able to put out a full-strength side and we've had to pay a heavy price for our injuries, but we've always tried to respond to the difficulties. And that's what we'll keep doing."